Funnel.



S. BOWDIDGE.

FUNNEL APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1913.

Patented Feb. 24,1914.

JIM

SIDNEY IBOWDIDGE, OF IBR-OOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FUNNEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 9, 1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914. Serial No. 772,482.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SIDNEY Bowomsn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Funnels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined spout and tunnel for fluids, and while susceptible of more general use, is particularly adapted to spouts for attachment to funnels used for pouring fluids into bottles and other receptacles having small necks.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention,-Figure 1 is a sectional View of a combined funnel and spout containing the invention, showing the spout attached to a funnel and inserted in the neck of a bottle; Fig. 2 is a side view of the spout; Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a bottom View of the spout.

The device, as herein shown, comprises a tubular body 0;, having at its top a relatively large hub Z), with the ledge or shoulder 0 therebetween. In order to support the spout in receiving apertures of varying sizes, such as bottle necks of diflerent sizes, the spout is provided with external supporting members converging from their upper ends down ward, to engage the inner periphery of the bottle neck B or other aperture. As herein shown said supporting members consist of three radially disposed tapering vanes 0? extending from the top of the hub downward to, and merging with, the surface of the tubular body a. These vanes will support the spout in a throat B of any size from the diameter of the tubular body a to the maximum diameter at the top of said vanes, and will also provide spaces for the escape of air between the body of the spout and the walls of the aperture through the neck 13.

"Within the hub Z) is a strainer 6, having spacers or legs f on its under side which engage shoulder c and support the strainer in a position spaced apart from said shoulder, thereby leaving a clear space between the strainer and the entrance to tube a. By this arrangement a sutficient volume of fluid is permitted to pass through the strainer into the chamber between the strainer and the entrance to tube a to insure a solid or unbroken stream to issue from tube a, instead of a broken stream as would result if the strainer rested directly on the shoulder a i and across the entrance to tube a. Said strainer is made removable for the purpose of cleaning or repairing the part-s.

The hub Z) is interiorly threaded so that it may be detachably and interchangeably secured to the outlet end of a funnel F, or other conveyor for the fluid, which is to be passed through the spout. The strainer is clamped between the end of the funnel and shoulder 0. Thus it will be seen that the hub b in conjunction with the threaded end of the funnel F performs not only the functions of a coupling for separably uniting the -tunnel F and the tube a, but at the same time operates separably to clamp the strainer in place, and serves as a housing for the removable strainer which requires no other fastening devices than said coupling members. Furthermore, by locating the strainer in the enlarged hub, the funnel is left open and free from strainer-supporting fittings or other obstructions diflicult to clean and liable to damage through accident, while at the same time the strainer may be sufliciently spaced from the shoulder of the hub as above described to admit of the free passage of the fluid.

iVith the above described construction a device is n'ovided wholly separable or dismountable, the interior surfaces of both tunnel and tube members when separated being readily accessible and free from strainer supporting brackets, or vortex interrupters, which would interfere with the convenient and thorough cleaning of the parts.

In order to interrupt and destroy the vortex which tends to form in the fluid passing through the funnel, and so further safeguard the even flow of the fluid and the unbroken st ream in the spout, a vortex interrupter is provided, consisting, as herein shown, of a T-shaped projection g secured to the upper side of the strainer c, and extending upward far enough to enter well into the delivery end of the funnel F where the vortex tends to form. The cross bar at the top of this T-shaped projection effectually prevents the forming of a vortex in the passing fluid, and the T also performs the oflice of a handle by which the strainer may be removed or inserted.

Although the device is shown as secured to a funnel, it will be understood that this is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that it may be used in conjunction with any suitable form of fluid conveyer as Well as a funnel; also that. the supporting vanes will perform their functions in connection with various other sorts of receiving apertures as well as with the throat of a bottle.

I claim:

1. A spout comprising a tubular body, a relatively large hub at its top, and a shoulder therebetween, a funnel connected to said hub, a removable strainer in said hub, and a vortex interrupter extending upward from t the top or" said strainer and forming a unitary part thereoi so as to serve also as ahandle to remove said strainer.

2. A spout comprising a tubular body, a a relatively large hub at its top, and a shoulder therebetween. a funnel connected to said hub, a removable strainer in said hub, and a T-shaped vortex interrupter secured to the top of said strainer, and forming a unitary part thereof so as to serve also as a handle to remove said strainer.

3. In combination, a spout comprising a tubular body, a relatively large interiorly I screw threaded hub at the top, and a Copies of this patent may be obtained for shoulder between said hub and tubular body, a funnel screwed into said hub, a removable strainer in said hub clamped in place between the end of said funnel and said shoulder, and a vortex interrupter extending from the top of said strainer into the end of said funnel.

at. In combination, a spout comprising a tubular body, a relatively large interiorly screw-threaded hub at the top, and a shoulder between said hub and tubular body, a funnel screwed into said hub, a removable strainer in said hub clamped in place between the end of said funnel and said shoulder, spacers carried by said strainer to hold the same out of engagement with said shoulder, and a vortex interrupter extending from the top of said strainer into the end of said tunnel.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 2nd day of June, 1913.

SIDNEY BOXVDIDGE. Witnesses ROBERT CUSHMAN, Ci-nxnrlns D. YVOODBERRY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

